The Portland daily press., 1887-03-22
THE soooLE ALDERMAN's TRIAL
Continuance of Cieary's Triai-He
Takes the Stand in His Own
Behalf.

New YORK, March 21.-The trial of ex-
Alderman Cleary for bribery was continued
today in the Court of oyer and Termlner.
After several witnesses had been examined
Mr.. Shafer offered the usual motions that
Cleary could not be convicted on the first
count, as an alderman was not Estate officer !;
that the testimony of Fullgratf and Duffy be
stricken out as perjurers, and to discharge
Cleary on the ground of lack of evidence.
They were denied by the court as in other
trials.
After the recess in the Court of Oyer and
Terminer today, Cleary, the indicted
doodle" alderman took the stand in his
own defense. He had been janitor of the
Equitable building since 1850 When indict-
ed he offered his resignation, but it was not
accepted He was elected alderman in 1888.
Hislconstituents favored the railroad bill
because they had to walk from the Astor
House down town. His employers, notably
Judge Green, urged the passage of the bill.
de favored the Bro adway franchise ON ac-
count OF its connection with Broadway and
seventh Avenue line to Central Park He
objected to the cable road system as untried.
Oleary denied ever attending any Of the
meetings OF the combine" either at Full
gran, or McLaughlin's. He thought he Wis
lted the sick alderman Mclaughlin sometime
aIler tne election Of 1864. This was a cor
rectlon OF his testimony ON the trial of
ONell. Cleary said he made his bank de-
post IN 1860. lie gave the details of various
bank book was produced in corroboration Of
some OF his payments. His present salary
Is $500 month, beside his income from OUT
SIDE business. He has a contract to furnish
tenants with ice.
In 1887 he had three Pine street buildings
paying him 500 per month; then he had
$1,000 in one three masted schooner, and $3.50
In another; $500 in bond mortgages, and
about $500 ayear in rents. In all he could
save from 5000 to 500 month on his in
come. This statement produced some aston
lshment in court One juror said: 5000 or
500 year, you mean, do you not Mr..
Sieary? No, sir, seven hundred dollars amonth
Cleary gave other points in his matters and
was finally asked: Did Duffy ever offer you
$1,000. for your vote for 34th street railroad
franchise? 1t was this way. Duffy asked
me II l was going to vote for that road, and
said no, because Judge Russell, who had an
ofnce In our building, had a couple of buildings
on Bath street and Sixth auenue, and he op-
posed the road, so / would not vote Tor 1t.
Duffy said it was worth $1,000 or $1,000 to me,
1 forget which, but never had anything to do
with anything like that when | was in the
board, concluded Cleary. Cleary never paid
any rent. lie had room in the Equitable
building. His income from the building was
$500, 500 from his Cedar street house, $500
from Brooklyn houses, and SlO,S0O from the
Equitable. Out of this he paid $1,000 year
Tor help aud other expenses. That left him
net income of $6,500 besides his $1,000 sal
airy as alderman. In 1884 Cleary did not call
on Mayor Edison to ascertain his reason for
yetoing the franchise, because Edison was
from higher walks Of life than he was,
and also because he had spent most of his
own life in this city, and thought he knew as
well what the city needed as any other man